Catholic Churches of NCC includes: Saint Patrick Parish Seneca WI; Saint Philip Parish Rolling Ground WI; Saint Mary Parish Gays Mills WI; St James Cemetery Rising Sun WI; Kneeland Cemetery Seneca WI catholicchurchesofncc.com

1^st Sunday of Advent                                       November 30^th, 2025

St. Mary, St. Patrick, St. Philip Parishes

Mail address for all three parishes:    PO Box 35, Seneca WI 54654

Website: https://www.catholicchurchesofncc.com

Confessions: Normally, 30 minutes before every

Mass and by appointment.

Normal Monthly Eucharistic Adoration:

St. Patrick: First Friday after the 8:30 AM Mass

St. Philip: First Sunday after the 10:30 AM Mass

Mass Intentions This Week

Pastor: Fr. Tom Huff – Rectory 608-734-3252 frtomhuff@gmail.com

Bookkeeper/Bulletin/Mass Intentions: Kevin Murray – 608-391-0434 secretary@ncc.diolcparish.org

Membership: Yvonne Hady -- 608 485-2109 hadyy@mwt.net

New Bulletin Information Deadline: Mondays at 6:00 PM. Bulletin is posted on our website.

UPCOMING PARISH EVENTS

Tuesday, December 2^nd Adult Faith Study at St. Mary’s 1:30 PM

Sunday December 7^th Share & Care gifts due at all parishes

Saturday December 13^th Adoration at St. Mary’s 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Confession at 2:30 PM

Benediction at 3:00 PM

O Come Let Us Adore Him… During this season of Advent, as we prepare for the joyful coming of the Christ Child, we find ourselves in the middle of all the hustle and bustle that also accompanies Christmas. We need to find some prayer-filled and peace-filled time to renew our appreciation of “the reason for the season”. Come spend an hour or so with our Lord by joining us for Advent Adoration. Please call Judy Geyer (608-208-2592) with any questions.

From the Priest’s Corner:  Are we Spiritually Woke?

The term woke is heard frequently in social media nowadays. Although the word is often used in a pejorative way, synonyms for the verb woke include awakened, and roused, referring to the act of waking up.

Spiritually, being woke means being awakened from ignorance or spiritual sleep to a higher state of awareness. It involves seeing the world with new eyes, understanding one's true spiritual self as distinct from the physical body, and recognizing a connection to God. This "spiritual awakening" can be associated with themes of self-discovery, a shifted worldview, and a deeper understanding of life, often involving a rejection of materialistic values and an acceptance of spiritual truths.

As Catholics, we need to be spiritually woke or awake as we see the various trends and events going on in the world around us and the need to react to them by promoting morally good Christian values. The Saints were spiritually woke or awake to the world around them. They saw both the moral good and the moral bad, and did their best, according to their abilities and talents, to strengthen the good and fight against the bad. And we can see that being spiritually awake is an important part of our Advent Season.

In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah desired his fellow citizens to be spiritually awake, encouraging them to look to the Lord with hope and salvation. Come, let us climb the Lord's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.

In our Responsorial Psalm, we Catholics are reminded of the need to weekly go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Every weekend is a time to be refreshed by the Word of God and Holy Communion, so as to remain awake and alive in our spiritual life.

In our second reading Saint Paul summons the early Christians of Rome and by extension, each one of us, to rise from our slumber so as to be spiritually awake: You must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were first converted. Saint Paul reminded Christians the need to throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; to conduct themselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy.

And in our Gospel reading, Jesus commands us; to stay awake, because we do not know the day when our master is coming!

The message of the first Sunday of Advent is clear: You must wake up now! We have been entrusted through our baptism to promote God’s agenda of truth and moral goodness into the world around us, both socially and politically, according to our abilities and talents.

                                              Income from Last Week

2026 Donation Envelopes are available now. If you do not receive envelopes currently and would like to, please contact Kevin Murray 608-391-0434 secretary@cnn.diolcparish.org

As of Sunday November 30^th, Kevin Murray will be handling the Bookkeeping, Mass Intentions, & Bulletin Announcements. Please make all email request & inquiries to: secretary@ncc.diolc.org or call 608-391-0434. All Bulletin Announcements must be in by Monday at 6:00 PM beginning Sunday December 7^th.

St. Patrick’s Announcements:

More Mass Intentions are welcomed

St. Philip Announcements:

St. Philip Candles: Contact Bonnie Murphy. The cost is $5 per candle.

Food Pantry items are needed. Please leave any gift at the rear of the Church.

St. Mary Announcements:

Rosary – 30 minutes before Mass -- St. Mary’s Church is open each day from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM (winter hours). You are welcome to stop in to pray and/or light a candle for your special intention.

First Sunday Potluck brunch after Mass each first Sunday of the month. All are welcome, dish to share is appreciated, but not required. Next potluck is Sunday, Dec. 7^th.

Food Pantry Donations can be left in the basket in the rear of the Church.

Tri-Parish Announcements:

We need more Mass Intentions for All Parishes

Youth Envelopes: If the youth members of our parish would like their own youth envelopes for giving to the Church let us know. Youth envelopes are available. Please contact Kevin if interested.

Share and Care Christmas gifts must be returned to all churches by Dec. 7^th. For further information please contact Amy Murphy, Pat Dearth, Judy Geyer or Yvonne Hady.

All Souls Day Intentions: Please turn in your All Souls Intentions by the end of November. There are special envelopes in your offering boxes, or you can place them in a regular envelope marked “All Souls.” Any money donated will be combined to determine the number of All Souls Masses for the next year; you do not have to donate any specific amount. Checks should be made out to “Stipend Account.” Please include the names of any deceased that you would like to have remembered.

Other Announcements:

Knights of Columbus poster contest. All kindergarten through 8th grade students are encouraged to participate in our local poster contest. Posters can be any size but approximately 11” x 17” is suggested. The theme is “Keep Christ in Christmas” so subject matter should relate to Christ coming into the world. Entry forms are available in the back of church. Judging will be based on: 30 points for how well art relates to theme, 30 points for how well art conveys message, 40 points for overall visual impact and quality. Entries must be turned in by December 7, 2025. For more information or an entry form contact Bill Schultz at: 608 306 0622

ST. MARY'S Coon Valley, ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW Saturday, December 6, 2025. Join us for St. Mary's Annual Craft Show and discover unique, one-of-a-kind gifts for the holiday season! Shop from a variety of talented local vendors and crafters. 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM Coon Valley Village Hall, 108 Roosevelt St. Enjoy delicious concessions available throughout the day. Admission is free, so bring your family and friends for a fun day of shopping and community spirit! For more information, visit www.stmarycv.org/craft-show or contact Nancy Peters at 608-790-6034 or Peters@mwt.net.

Tri-Parish Prayer List – We want to pray for the ill and others in our parishes who need ongoing prayer. To be placed on or to place someone on our prayer list, please call: Sue Peterson 608-735-4865, Bonnie Murphy 608-386-4954, or Ica Boylen 608-734-3287.

What is Advent?

The season of Advent is a time of expectation, when we prepare our home and our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. The word Advent is derived from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming”.

Advent is a season of hope, a time to nurture peace and experience joy in anticipation for the love that is made incarnate with the birth of Jesus.

Keep this purpose ever in mind as you make your plans to prepare for Christmas. Everything will make sense or become senseless in relation to this purpose. If baking cookies helps you achieve this purpose, bake away. Sitting quietly on a park bench, taking long walks in quiet places, visiting your church each day, reading, singing, serving others...whatever it is that helps you achieve the purpose of Advent, give yourself to those activities.

Wake up each day with this purpose in your heart and on your mind. Purpose has a way of transforming the way we live our lives. Allow the purpose of Advent to transform you.